Labor Union Concepts

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Labor Union

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An organized association of workers formed to protect and advance their rights and interests, particularly in negotiating wages, working hours, and conditions.

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Collective Bargaining

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The process in which labor unions and employers negotiate over employment terms, aiming to reach agreements on wages, benefits, and other working conditions.

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Strike

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A work stoppage initiated by employees to protest labor conditions, often used as a bargaining tool to force employers to meet union demands.

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Boycott

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A form of protest where individuals refuse to buy or use products and services from a company as a way to pressure the company to change its policies.

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Picket Line

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A boundary established by striking workers, often outside a workplace, to discourage others from entering or working there during a strike.

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Lockout

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An action taken by employers to prevent employees from working, often used to pressure workers into accepting company terms or to break up union activities.

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Injunction

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A court order that either restrains an action or mandates a specific action. In labor history, injunctions were often used to end strikes or prohibit picketing.

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Scab

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A derogatory term for a worker who crosses a picket line and works in place of striking workers, often viewed negatively by union members.

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Arbitration

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A method of resolving labor disputes in which an impartial third party, the arbitrator, reviews the case and makes a binding decision.

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Muckrakers

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Journalists and writers in the early 20th century who exposed corruption, poor working conditions, and injustices in society, helping to spur reform movements.